Over the last two centuries, our understanding of penguin biology has advanced considerably, from early reports claiming that penguins were actually fish, to modern times, with sophisticated networks of field studies tracking nearly every aspect of breeding behavior, ecology, and life history. However, captive populations of penguins have been largely overlooked as a source of information on penguin biology, despite the promise they hold as a window into penguin biology and natural history. Dr. Heather Lynch, Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolution at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, will focus on recent developments at the interface of wild and captive penguin research. She will also discuss work on behavioral acoustics and reproductive behavior that will permit a more nuanced understanding of how climate change and other threats are likely to affect penguin populations over the next century. Her research is focused on uncovering the population dynamics and biogeographic distribution of Antarctic wildlife, with a particular focus on combining high-resolution satellite imagery and old-fashioned field expeditions to track the abundance and distribution of penguins.
